Voltaria (sick reader insert)
by Carmenbeckett
Summary: In wasn't your nature to openly admit to being sick, but sometimes honesty would have been the best policy.


You step into the console room with a wide smile, and then an equally wide yawn. The Doctor spun around from the console, grinning like a kid at Christmas.

"[Name]!" he said excitedly, "I was wondering when you'd get up. Decide to sleep in this morning, did you?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," you apologized, rubbing the back of your neck. You weren't about to admit it to the Doctor, but you weren't feeling a hundred percent. Nothing to worry about, probably, but he'd worry all the same.

"Well, no matter," the man said, waving an arm dismissively, "I've got something amazing for you today, but it requires a few quick questions." You nodded. "Perfect! Now, you got plenty of sleep last night?"

You could actually have used a little more, but you nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. How are you feeling today? Headache, dizzy, anything?"

In all honesty, you're head did ache a bit, but you just chuckled. "Doctor, I'm fine. Why are you asking?"

The TARDIS groaned, and the conversation paused for a second. Apparently, the time machine had landed somewhere. Hopefully, it was the right place this time, wherever that happened to be.

"Are you sure you're fine?" he asked, "Absolutely sure?"

"Yes, Doctor!" you insisted, crossing your arms, "Now, what's this all about?"

He grinned again and snapped his fingers, the doors swinging open. "This is the planet of the Volitroins, Voltaria. It's incredible, [Name]. You're going to love it. Oceans of electricity. Not good for swimming, but if you really want to swim, we have a pool somewhere..."

You coughed, and then tried to pass it off as clearing your throat to get his attention. "Doctor, what was with the questions?"

"Ah, the Volitrarian Plague," the man replied, waving a hand, "But it only attacks an already compromised immune system, and you feel fine so you won't get it."

Your throat tightened up. You had already said that you were fine, so you didn't want to tell him you weren't being honest. This Plague thing seemed unpleasant though. "Are we going to be around a lot of people?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Not if you don't want to, but the Volitrarian Plague is an airborne agent that exists in the very air. Very strange illness. Kills a lot of the Volitroins. Not usually deadly to humans, but not fun, from what I've heard." He shook his head at you. "But it's fine, because you're fine, which is good because you were already been exposed when I opened the door."

"I, you, what?" you asked, your eyebrows shooting up.

The Doctor waved a hand dismissively and grabbed you by the wrist. "Yeah, yeah, but you said you felt fine, so I'm sure it won't be a problem. Now, come on, don't you want to see the ocean?"

You couldn't argue, so you let him drag you out of the TARDIS.

Voltaria was beautiful, and aptly named. You could feel the electricity hanging in the air. The trees, though as lush as any other planet, held a strange blue glow. You touched one, you finger just barely brushing the trunk, and a jolt of electricity shot up your arm.

"Owch!" you yelped, pulling back from the tree. The Doctor spun around.

"[Name]! Are you alright?" he asked, reaching for your hand, "You're not bleeding, are you?"

You shook your head. "No, no. Just got shocked. Why are you so worried?" you asked, running a hand through your hair and frowning.

"An open wound would be the perfect way to get the Volitrarian Plague," he said, tapping your nose and fixing his bow tie. You bit your lip, suddenly more aware of your headache and the slight soreness of your throat. If it really only took that much to get sick, it was likely that you were going to catch it.

"Doctor, maybe we should-"

"Get on to the ocean! Of course. That's why you're here, after all." The Doctor grabbed your wrist again, pulling you along. "I would suggest that you don't touch the ocean though. Nasty shock, that would be. Not deadly, of course, but it might knock you out, which would mean cutting our visit short."

"Um, how long are we going to be here, exactly?" you asked, trying to swallow down the familiar feeling of a cough in your throat.

"Dunno. Few hours? Few days? It's more fun when you don't know for sure."

"Bu-" you were cut off by a few painful coughs that made your chest hurt. The Doctor stopped dead.

"[Name]?" The time traveller was giving you a suspicious look.

"Sorry, something in my throat," you say quickly, not looking at him, "Where is the ocean? Are we getting close?"

His curious expression died away, replaced with a grin. "Oh, yes! It's right at the edge of these trees. Very close." He turned and started moving again, and you breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe you were going to get lucky. Maybe you wouldn't get the Plague.

The trees stopped as the ground turned sandy, though it was sand like you had never seen before. Every particle seemed to glow, like the trees.

You stared at the sand for awhile before realizing that it wasn't what you came to see. You raised your head, shifting your gaze out to the ocean ahead. It looked like plasma, an entire ocean made of plasma, and every so often, a bolt of lightning would shoot into the sky. The Doctor needn't have worried about you touching that. Even if it wouldn't kill you, you weren't eager to try it.

"Well?" the Doctor asked, staring down at you with his childish grin, "Is it amazing?"

You smiled and nodded. "It's pretty amazing."

Neither of you would have long to experience that moment, staring out at the alien ocean. There was a shout, the rustling of tree leaves, and the unmistakeable sound of chatter approaching from behind.

The Doctor turned, seeming unconcerned. "Ah, I think it's some of the Volitroins."

You nodded, but a sudden feeling made you stop and turn, cupping your hands over your face.

"[Na]-?"

"Ah-Choo!"

"There's someone here!" came a shout from the trees, but the Doctor was still staring at you when you turned back to look.

"You said you were fine," he said, frowning sternly.

"I am fine," you insist, even though it's pointless now. Surely, the Doctor knows that your immune system is "compromised."

"[Name], why didn't you say something?" he asked, as a group of aliens emerged from the tree line. The Doctor paused, gave you a look, and then turned to them. "Hello!" he greeted enthusiastically, "Sorry, we're just visiting."

The Volitroins were similar to humans, though shorter and blue-grey colored. They reminded you a little of the aliens you always used to think of as a kid back on Earth. "Visitors? We have not had visitors since the last great outbreak of Plague."

"Ah, well, we are. Sorry. We can leave if you want." The Doctor took your arm and started walking. "We should be going anyway. We already saw what we came to see." He shot you a look and softly added, "Add got a little something to take back with us too."

The Doctor was silent as he dragged you back to the TARDIS, though he did rub your back when you started coughing partway there. He also had to hold you up so you wouldn't try to lean against one of the trees.

He stepped into the TARDIS and snapped his fingers, closing the doors just as you entered. Then he turned to face you, looking disappointed, concerned, and a little angry all at the same time. "[Name]... What am I going to do with you?"

You didn't answer, just snuffled lightly and rubbed the bridge of your nose. Your eyes drooped a bit. You were tired, maybe even exhausted, and your headache had gotten worse. You thought that maybe you'd close your eyes for just a moment, but as soon as you did, you felt yourself falling.

"[NAME]!" A pair of arms wrapped around you before you hit the ground, but then the Doctor's shouting grew faint, distant, even though he was right there. You heard no more of what he was saying to you.

When you woke, you're vision was a bit hazy and the ceiling above you seemed to spin nauseatingly. You groaned, shutting you're eyes tight and snuggling down into the blankets. The Doctor must have carried you to your room, and you were glad for that. You felt like you were freezing, though beads of sweat covered your skin.

"[Name]?" came a soft voice, a hand pressing against your forehead. Your eyes opened a crack. "You've been asleep for a few days. Here, drink this." He held a cup of water up to your lips, and you opened your mouth.

"What happened?" you asked, your voice still hoarse. Your nose twitched a bit, and you turned away. "Hhhh...Choo! Ah-Choo!"

"You knew you were sick. Why didn't you stop me from bringing you to that planet?" the Doctor's voice was still soft, though you could hear the disappointment in it.

"I... I don't know..." you mumbled, closing your eyes again, "You said it was going to be amazing..."

The Doctor was silent, then chuckled very softly. "Oh, [Name]. We could have gone another time. I could have brought you to get something that would make you feel better. We could have gone somewhere else first. You can't let things like this happen when you can avoid it." He tapped you on the nose, and then you felt him lightly kiss your forehead.

"I'm sorry," you muttered.

"I know you are," he whispered, gentle running his fingers through your hair, "Now, go to sleep, [Name]. All you need to do right now is get better. There are plenty more amazing places to see. You don't want to miss out on them, do you?"

You smiled slightly, and snuggled up under the blankets, only vaguely aware that they weren't the ones from your room.

You heard the Doctor get up, and your eyes snapped open. "D-Don't go..." you pleaded, looking over at him. The man turned back to you and smiled, grabbing a book from the nearby shelf that certainly didn't belong in your room.

"I wasn't going to," the Doctor said, coming back and sitting in the edge of the bed, "Let me read you a story to help you sleep. Is that alright?"

You nodded and yawned, snuggling deeper into the blankets.

The Doctor opened the book and began to read. He read about the universe, different planets and galaxies. He was starting to mention Gallifrey when sleep finally took you. You dreamt about seeing new things, and going new places. You couldn't wait to get back to it all, to get back to the Doctor.


End file.
